Quality of free SHS, $2bn deficit in energy sector : Franklin Cudjoe details questions Napo must answer

Energy Minister and lawmaker for Manhyia South Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh who has been presented as the running mate to the flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has some key questions to answer, Founding President of IMANI Africa, Franklin Cudjoe has said.

Franklin Cudjoe says Dr Opoku Prempeh who is also a former Minister of Education will have to deal with questions about the huge $ 2 billion deficit in the energy sector as well as how qualitatively he thinks free senior high school policy has added to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Finally, how he will deal with aggressive corruption, reduce ‘big daddy’ expenditure plans and how and when he will ask his boss, Dr Bawumia to own up and man up to the economic decadence he has been gloriously a part of, Mr Cudjoe added.

The presentation of Dr Opoku Prempeh by Dr Mahamudu Bawumia comes at a time when a survey done by the National Investigation Bureau tipped Dr Opoku Prempeh to be the running mate.

The survey engaged 5,116 NPP delegates nationwide, including national, regional, constituency, and polling station executives.

According to the study, Dr Opoku Prempeh secured 76.2% of the responses from executives polled.

In a Facebook post, Franklin Cudjoe said “So it is true, Napo is running mate to Bawumia. Thanks for confirming, folks. I think it was a difficult choice because of his notorious public comments on critical issues and posturing.

“I do know, however, that he can be serious when he wants to – I admired his professionalism when he was ranking member of the health committee in Parliament under the late Atta Mills. l had been invited to appear before the health committee meeting he was chairing to testify on certain aspects of the public health bill that was inimical to civil liberties. Eventually, the bill was passed.

“I was part of a small group he invited to meet over how he intended to roll out the free SHS promise after being named the first education minister in 2017. It was a difficult conversation especially when there was no policy paper to guide the implementation of the programme. But he pummelled through the implementation amidst the imperfections. The challenges though have come full circle.

“Napo is his own nemesis. He can be abrasive when he wants to. Now though, he needs to be serious and be prepared to deal with questions about the wasted efforts in the energy sector, with a huge $2bn deficit in the sector. He must tell us how qualitatively he thinks free SHS had added to the country’s GDP and finally how he will deal with aggressive corruption, reduce big daddy expenditure plans and how and when he will ask his boss, Bawumia to own up and man up to the economic decadence he has been gloriously a part of. I wish Napo and his boss well.”